Students Innovate with Digi: DALE, A Net Zero Smart Home

Some of the most creative applications of our products come from students. Every year we are involved with student-led projects that are breaking new ground in industries like automotive, solar power, smart energy, and more. We support these efforts as it leads to insightful feedback on our products and fuels a talented workforce. Here is one of the many projects Digi is helping to support.

DALE (Dynamic Augmented Living Environment) is a net zero, rail-mounted, and dynamic dwelling, designed and built by a student led team from CalTech. DALE brings those living in the dwelling to the outside by opening itself and closing to harness the beautiful weather and reduce energy consumption.

The dwelling is designed to reduce energy consumption through the use of solar power, energy monitoring, and the ability to reacts to its environment by opening and closing. DALE will be on display while competing in the 2013 Solar Decathalon.

Within the home a wireless network has been established. This is where Digi comes in. Throughout the home there are sensors installed that monitor temperature, humidity, and light. These sensors relay the data collected through a ConnectPort Gateway for cloud storage.

A smart meter is also used to monitor energy consumption of the dwelling. The team chose Device Cloud to collect and store data from the sensors and smart meter, which can be used for further analysis. This data is then used by a custom web application developed by the team.

The application enables control of DALE, so that it can open, close, and make suggestions to its residents on how they can save energy. For instance, if the temperature sensors are reading a hot temperature, DALE can suggest to open the windows or even use the rail system to open up the entire dwelling and let fresh air in.

Similar solutions are becoming more common-place in the industrial setting as well. Companies are using creative solutions to cut back on energy use and to drive other efficiencies. Just one example, OEM Technology Solutions creates products that share data with train operators. With the data, the operator can monitor and control temperature in a train to improve the comfort level of passengers. An application can alert the conductor of optimal times to turn air on and off. The train then uses outside air to cool down rather than an energy demanding air conditioning system. Efficiencies of just 1% can result in billions of dollars saved.

For more information on DALE check out the video below and visit their website at meetdale.com.